Summary
Despite some of their most obvious differences,StarfieldandThe Outer Worldshave been frequently compared to one another, as they are both narrative-driven, first-person sci-fi RPGs developed by studios renowned for their storytelling — Bethesda and Obsidian Entertainment, respectively. In some ways, this makes the comparisons between the two justifiable. However, their clear differences — likeStarfield’s larger scale,The Outer Worlds' tightly woven narrative, and each title’s unique approach to gameplay — are difficult to ignore. Nevertheless, it already seems likeThe Outer Worlds 2might be Obsidian’s answer toStarfield, whether the comparisons have been warranted or not.
Based on what has been revealed so far forThe Outer Worlds 2, Obsidian’s long-awaited sequel looks to capitalize on the success of its predecessor by remaining faithful to its origins. At the same time, it appears to be making some major improvements to its gameplay, progression, and worldbuilding that could put theStarfieldcomparisons to rest by finding a happy medium between what the firstOuter Worldsaccomplished and the groundwork laid by Bethesda’s sci-fi adventure.
The Outer Worlds 2 Is Rising Above Its Predecessor’s Starfield Comparisons
The Outer Worlds 2 Is Larger Without Losing Itself
One of the main things that has separatedStarfieldfromThe Outer Worldsis its massive scale. Boasting over1,000 planets for players to discover,Starfieldmakes it almost impossible for the average gamer to discover every inch of the game’s explorable space, which has actually proven to be appealing to some. As grandiose as it sounds, though, this world design has led to a feeling of emptiness inStarfield, as traversing each planet eventually feels meaningless without purposeful content to reinforce their presence in the game.
It has been confirmed that there are actually around 1,700 planets and moons inStarfield, though only a small fraction of them are habitable.
That’s actually whereThe Outer Worldshas always shined a bit brighter, with a world that is tighter and more dependent upon its lore and narrative thanStarfield’s worldis. That being said,The Outer Worldsis significantly smaller in scale thanStarfield, allowing Bethesda’s sci-fi epic to cast a looming shadow over one of Obsidian’s greats. However,The Outer Worlds 2is responding to that with a world that is twice as large as its predecessor’s, which ultimately enables it to feel somewhat closer to whatStarfieldoffers without losing its narrative-driven identity in the process.
The Outer Worlds 2 Is Adding New Skills to the Pot
Starfield’s scale didn’t just come down to its exploration either, as its progression was even tied to that philosophy. At launch,Starfieldhad a whopping 82 skillsfor players to unlock, whereasThe Outer Worldsonly had 42. Now,The Outer Worlds 2is deepening the role-playing mechanics of the first game by featuring over 90 unique perks for players to customize their character with. This will potentially putThe Outer Worlds 2ahead ofStarfieldin terms of playstyle customization, once again pointing to the sequel as an answer to the frequent comparisons drawn between its predecessor and Bethesda’s sci-fi IP.
The Outer Worlds 2’s Self-Aware Humor Sets It Apart
Finally,Starfieldisn’t without its own comedic moments, but they are a far cry from whatThe Outer Worlds, and now its successor, offer.The Outer Worlds 2has already gone to great lengths during its marketing phase in showing one element that has always set it apart from its competitor: self-aware humor.The Outer Worlds 2’s self-aware humornot only functions as its trademark but also jabs at corporate structures in the gaming industry. As one of its trailers mockingly stated, “Everything that should have been in the first game: more action, more weapons, and more… graphics?”
The Outer Worlds 2is deepening the role-playing mechanics of the first game by featuring over 90 unique perks for players to customize their character with.
In the end,The Outer Worlds 2isn’t trying to outmatchStarfieldat its own game more than it is leveling the playing field a bit. Rather than going after scale for the sake of scale,The Outer Worlds 2wants to offer something sharper, more deliberate, and more consistent. It builds upon its predecessor’s strengths while directly addressing whereStarfieldmay have overreached, all without losing sight of its own identity. IfStarfieldis about breadth, thenThe Outer Worlds 2looks like it’s aiming for more depth — still expansive, but intentionally curated.
